US source says Iran deal odds are extremely slim, gaps wide
A source involved in the negotiations tells Al Arabiya that obstacles remain major and a deal is unlikely.
Published
A U.S. source engaged in the negotiations with Iran tells Al Arabiya that the gaps between the two sides are wide and the obstacles major. The source says the chances of an agreement are extremely slim.
The claim conflicts with a separate report from Al Hadath, which said Iran had agreed to halt uranium enrichment in exchange for U.S. sanctions relief. It also runs against earlier signals of a softer American position: a U.S. official has said Trump's offer would unfreeze Iranian assets in exchange for progress on the nuclear file, and a White House official has confirmed Trump is open to sanctions relief tied to nuclear steps.
Iran has said Monday's meeting in New York involves mediators rather than direct U.S. participation. Officials in Tehran have said a deal with Washington before the U.S. midterm elections is unlikely. A U.S. official has said Washington needs proof that Iran is serious about negotiating, not just seeking a way out of its troubles.
Crude is up 4% at $96.44 today as the stalled-talks narrative takes hold. The Al Arabiya source's account cuts against the Al Hadath halt-for-relief report and the softer offers described earlier, reasserting the wide-gap, stalled-talks narrative behind that move. A U.S. source calling the odds of a deal extremely slim reinstates the risk premium the halt report had briefly deflated, a reading that is bearish for de-escalation and supportive of crude.